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Windy Gap Firming Project

Overview

In cooperation with other communities and water districts, Longmont is participating in the development of a new raw water storage reservoir to be constructed west of Carter Lake, referred to as the Windy Gap Firming Project. The purpose of the reservoir is to capture and store Windy Gap water, which the City already has a right in, to improve the reliability of this supply. The project will provide storage capacity to meet current and future water supply needs.

Update on Longmont's Involvement

In the fall of 2017, City Council decided that the City of Longmont would participate in the project at a capacity level of 8,000 acre-feet of water secured for Longmont (a volume similar approximately 2/3 the size of Union Reservoir).

Funding

In early 2015, City Council adopted water rate increases for 2015 – 2019, which will be used to operate the water system and pay for necessary capital improvements. The average increase for customers from these adopted rates is 9% each year for five years. These increases do not include the additional revenues needed to fully fund Longmont's involvement in the Windy Gap Firming Project.

The total estimated cost for Longmont to secure (own) 8,000 acre-feet of water is $41 million.*

The City has invested $5 million (as of fall 2017) and has an estimated remaining contribution of $36 million.*

In the November 2017 Boulder County Coordinated Election, Longmont voters approved the issuance of $36.3 million in bonds to help fund the project.

*Note: As in all construction projects, actual cost of construction will not be accurately determined until the project is bid and final costs will not be determined until construction is complete.

There are not any additional water rate increases for the Windy Gap Firming Project scheduled at this time.

References

Supplemental documents for all City Council meeting items and videos of past meetings can be found on the Agendas & Minutes webpage.

2017

November 28: General Business Item #11.A, Next Steps for Windy Gap Firming

August 22: Consent Agenda - R-2017-78, A Resolution Of The Longmont City Council Submitting The Ballot Question To The Registered Electors Of The City Of Longmont, Colorado, At The Municipal Election To Be Held November 7, 2017, Of Issuing Bonds Payable From The City's Water Utility Enterprise Revenues To Finance Systemwide Water System Improvements, Including But Not Limited To The Windy Gap Firming Project

June 13: Windy Gap Firming Project Update And Council Direction On Financing Plan

2016

December 13: Second Reading - A Bill for an Ordinance Amending Chapter 140.04 of the Longmont Municipal Code on Water Rates

November 29: First Reading - A Bill for an Ordinance Amending Chapter 140.04 of the Longmont Municipal Code on Water Rates

October 25: Windy Gap Firming Financing Options & Survey Results

August 9: Update On Additional Windy Gap Firming Financing Options and Public Input

April 19: Long Term Cash Flow and Rate Impacts of Windy Gap Firming Project

March 22: Joint session with City Council and Water Advisory Board concerning the Windy Gap Firming Project

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